Photofeature
Nelson & Liudmila

Photographers Nelson Ramírez de Arellano and Liudmila Velasco are not the usual Cuban artists, beginning with the fact that both were born outside of Cuba. Nelson, from a Spanish-Cuban family, was born in Berlin and Liudmila in Moscow, both in 1969. Their families later returned to Cuba where, years later, Nelson and Liudmila met and, for over a decade, have created a team both in life and in their artistic research. They ponder reality from their two different viewpoints and use photography as a mirror to see themselves, to show one to the other and to let us participate in that game of looking.

Their most successful exhibition is the series "Absolute Revolution," a complex and eclectic work that includes photos, installations, books and videos, all structured to create a sort of "portrait" of revolutionary Cuba. Their most recent project was showcased at the 10th Havana Art Biennale. "Hotel Habana" explores the passage of time and people's expectations for the future, together with their fears and hopes.

The artists intend to continue this project in other cities of the world: "As we presented Hotel Habana in the Biennale, it could be seen as a local project, but our intention is to deal with a universal topic. The real topic in the exhibition is time and the expectations we as human beings have for the future."